The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-24
I.YNCHINa AND LAW.

LYNCHING AND LAW.
The lynching of Amer Green, while not diff
fering from other acts of mob violence in
principle. is peculiarly aggravated in some Of
its features. 1t was done deliberately, and
not in the heat of passion, aud the prepare
tons for the lynching were made SO deliber-
ately that the officers of the law ought to
have been prepared to repel the attempt The
Governors severe reprimand to the sheriff of
Carroll county seems to be deserved, and it is
only to be regretted that the law does not
empower him to take vigorous measures in
such case. These repeated lynchlngs are,
as the Governor truly says, rapidly bringing
the State of Indiana into public disgrace"
The leading actors in this last affair must be
we'll known, and vigorous effort should be
made to bring them to account for their vio-
lation of law.
But there is another aspect of the case.
Why do these lynchings occur, and why are
they increasing in frequency The people of
Indiana are not lapsing into barbarism, nor
becoming more bloodthirsty than formerly.
They not retrograding in their regard for
human life, they growing more pas
Why, then, we ask again, is the resort to
lynch law increasing in frequency Undoubt-
eddy because of the weak and feeble admins
tration of law, and the slowness and uncer-
aisgusted with the laws delays and with the
impotence and inefficience of its administra-
ton. Far too much crime goes UNPUBLISHED,
far too many criminals go free. What
between the laxity of the laws and of their
administration, of criminals who are willing
to take every chance of escaping justice and
of lawyers willing to take every chance of de-
feating it; what between weak and nerveless
judges and faithlsss, sentimental juries,
matters have reached point whore
the people almost fear that justice
will never be done unless they take
it in their own hands. The administra-
ton OF criminal law in this country lacks two
essential misunderstanding and celebrity.
The terrors Of the law are frittered away by
delays. Nobody knows this better than Grim
mails, or persons contemplating crime, and
they take the chances accordingly. Lynch
law is practically unknown in Europe. Why7
Because there law is administered and en-
forced, not trifed with. There is not coun-
try in Europe where criminal law is not ad-
ministered with far more vigor and effect than
it is in the United States. This country
to-day is suffering in every interest, and to
the remotest parts of the body-politic, for the
want of vigorous enforcement of law. The
people are all right, but their legislators make
loose laws, and judges and prosecutors permit
criminals to drive through them with coach
and four. In no other half-civilized country of
the world is there such an army of unpun-
ished criminals to snap their fingers at the
law. Again we say the fault is with the
makers and administrators of the law. Given
law full of reprieves, delays, and hiding places,
a weak kneed judge who is afraid Of offending
somebody, a half-baked prosecutor who is
more concerned about his denomination than
he is about the punishment of crime, and
jury that absorbs the general nerveless atmos-
phere of the court and what can society ex-
pect against criminals aided by criminal law
yersf The people are constantly slain in the
house of those who should be their friends,
and the rights of society sacrificed to those
of criminals. It is this that is bringing the
administration of law into disrepute and
making lynchings more frequent The people
have a better sense of justice than those who
are called to administer it. It is not the peo-
pie who need reforming so much as the makers
and executors of the law: